Tens of thousands bid farewell to Morgan Tsvangirai

Chavez arrives in Cuba for cancer treatment

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez arrived in Cuba Sunday for cancer treatment after the Government gave him permission to leave the country despite arguments that it was unconstitutional for him to exercise power outside the country.

REUTERS - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez arrived in Cuba late Saturday to begin chemotherapy treatment for his cancer.

Chavez, who was accompanied by his daughter Rosa, will stay here an undisclosed period of time.

On Friday, he asked the Venezuelan National Assembly for permission to continue his cancer treatment outside of the country and was unanimously granted it.

But opposition leaders argued it was unconstitutional for Chavez to continue to exercise executive authority from Cuba.

The 56-year-old firebrand leader was operated last month in Cuba to remove a cancerous tumor from his pelvic region. He remained on the Caribbean island for almost a month to recuperate before returning to Venezuela earlier this month.